Stronger, directed by David Gordon Green (Manglehorn, Joe) and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, hits Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand December 19 via Lionsgate. An Oscar nominee for his work in the Los Angeles set thriller Nightcrawler, Gyllenhaal is definitely receiving his share of awards talk for Stronger.

The film is based on the true story of Jeff Bauman, a Bostonian who lost both of his legs at the 2013 marathon. Bauman, who helped law enforcement identify one of the bombers, was hailed as a hero due to his “Boston Strong” mentality, and the reality behind his tragic yet ultimately determined journey is captured to vivid effect by Gyllenhaal and Green. The film, based on Bauman’s bestselling memoir, co-stars Miranda Richardson and Clancy Brown.

Extras on the Blu-ray and DVD include the featurette “Faith, Hope & Love: Becoming Stronger.”

Tilda Swinton reunites with Snowpiercer filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho with his latest epic adventure Okja. The narrative centers on a determined young girl’s (An Seo Hyun) quest to rescue the animal (aka the titular protagonist) she raised in the mountains of South Korea. Swinton is the head of the Mirando Corporation, a powerful business entity that has commissioned farmers to raise this genetically manufactured pigs and show the world a more efficient way of consuming meat. Jake Gyllenhaaland Paul Dano co-star in the feature.

Okja’s cinematic influences reaches at the top of the ladder, as the filmmaker behind Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle played an important role int he movie’s aesthetic. “Director Bong talked about Hayao Miyazaki who we both worship like so many,” said Swinton. “There is something about the environment of a Miyazaki film that is beyond emotion and it’s beyond cinema . . . it’s a place you can go to. I always think if I’m in a coma I want someone to play me some Miyazaki music from (My Neighbor Totoro) or show me a screen with a Miyazaki sky.That atmosphere and environment is something that informed Okja’s mountain.”

Click on the media bar below to hear Swinton talk about the themes behind Okja:

Jake Gyllenhaal teams up with filmmaker David Gordon Green in the upcoming film Stronger. The true story centers on Jeff Bauman (Gyllenhaal), a 27-year-old who lost both his legs at the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Bauman, who attended the marathon to win back his ex-girlfriend Erin (Tatiana Maslany), ended up helping officers identify one of the bombers.

The narrative focuses on Bauman’s physical and emotional rehabilitation, as his determination and iron will exemplifies the term “Boston Strong.”

After the character rich studies inManglehornand Prince Avalanche, Gordon Green directed the underrated Sandra Bullock drama Our Brand Is Crisis. From the looks of the trailer, Stronger should continue the filmmaker’s creative momentum, even if audiences may shy away from another movie about the event. Patriots Day, the Mark Wahlberg headlined feature that centered on the hunt for the terrorists involved in the bombing, made just $31 million domestically when it was released earlier this year.

Whether he’s playing a chiseled boxer in Southpaw or a gaunt, career driven sociopath in Nightcrawler, Jake Gyllenhaalloves challenging himself with each and every role. Having just finished the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’sSunday in the Park with George, Gyllenhaal was at the Cannes Film Festival to promote his upcoming film Okja.

The picture, directed by Snowpiercer’sBong Joon Ho, centers on a girl (An Seo Hyun) who goes on a desperate search for Okja, a big animal who has been her closest companion in the South Korea mountains. Tilda Swinton is Lucy Mirando, the CEO who takes Okja to New York and has more capitalistic designs for this creature. Gyllenhaal is Dr. Johnny, the zoologist who works under Mirando.

Click on the media bar below to hear Gyllenhaal talk about the timely aspects behind Okja.

Okja premieres globally on Netflix and will also hit theaters in Los Angeles and New York on June 28.

The project centers on several scientists aboard the International Space Station who have discovered life on Mars. As most movies have proven in the past (Brian De Palma’sMission to Mars comes to mind), discovering aliens is not exactly a plus for humanity, and the scientists must stop this dangerous life form from invading Earth.

The picture is directed by Daniel Espinosa who previously worked with Reynolds in Safe House. Extras on the disc include deleted scenes and three featurettes (“Claustrophobic Terror: Creating a Thriller in Space,” “Life: In Zero G” and “Creating Life: The Art and Reality of Calvin”). Another extras segment titled “Astronaut Diaries” features video diaries of characters in the film as they discuss their thoughts on the mission (Gyllenhaal’s character is also featured in the segment).